Last updated: October 22, 2026
"Dialing in" means finding the grind size that makes your espresso taste balanced with your coffee beans and your machine. On the Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus it takes only a few shots if you follow a plan: start from a known recipe, weigh everything, change the grind one step at a time, and taste after each shot.
The short answer: start with about 18 g of coffee in the 2-cup basket and aim for about 36 g of espresso in 25 to 30 seconds. The first drops should appear around 8 to 12 seconds after you press the button, as a slow, thick stream. If the shot runs fast and tastes sour, grind finer. If it drips slowly and tastes bitter, grind coarser. Change only one thing at a time.
About this guide: it is based on Breville's own instruction book and product page for the Bambino Plus, plus guidance from retailers and coffee educators, listed at the bottom of the page. The Bambino uses the same 54 mm baskets and one-cup / two-cup buttons, but check your own manual for button details. Every grinder and coffee is different, so treat the numbers as starting points.
What you need
- A Breville Bambino or Bambino Plus. Still choosing a machine? See our guide to espresso machines for beginners.
- A separate grinder. The Bambino does not have a built-in grinder, so you need one that can grind fine, ideally a burr grinder. See our Grinders section.
- Fresh coffee beans. More in our Coffee Beans section.
- A scale that reads to 0.1 g and a timer (your phone is fine).
- What comes in the box: a 54 mm tamper, the Razor dosing tool, a milk jug, a cleaning tool and disc, and 1-cup and 2-cup baskets in both single-wall and dual-wall styles.
Step 1: Choose your basket
The Bambino comes with two kinds of basket, and the one you pick changes how much your grind and tamp matter.
- Dual-wall basket. It regulates the pressure for you, so it is more forgiving of the grind size, dose, tamp and freshness of the coffee. Breville suggests it for pre-ground coffee or older beans. The trade-off is that your adjustments change the taste less.
- Single-wall basket. It is meant for freshly ground whole beans (Breville suggests beans roasted within about 30 days). It gives you more control over the taste, but it needs a good grind and careful technique.
If you are brand new, start with the dual-wall basket to get a working shot, then move to the single-wall basket when you want more control. Whichever you choose, keep using the same basket while you dial in. Changing the basket is like changing everything at once.
Step 2: Start with this recipe
| What | Starting point |
|---|---|
| Coffee in (dose) | About 18 g in the 2-cup basket (Breville gives a range of about 16 to 19 g). The 1-cup basket takes about 8 to 11 g |
| Espresso out (yield) | About 36 g, weighed in the cup (a ratio of 1 : 2) |
| Total time | About 25 to 30 seconds from when you press the shot button |
| First drops | About 8 to 12 seconds after you press the button, as a slow, thick stream |
The machine's one-touch buttons work by volume, not by weight, and crema takes up space in the cup. That is why you should use your scale while you dial in, and program the button afterwards.
How to dial in espresso on the Breville Bambino, step by step
1. Heat up properly
Switch the machine on and let it fully heat before you pull a shot. A cold machine can extract unevenly. If it has been idle, warm your cup and run a short blank shot through the empty portafilter first.
2. Weigh your dose
Put the empty portafilter on the scale, set it to zero, and grind about 18 g into it. Weigh the dose every time: guessing is the quickest way to waste coffee.
3. Settle, tamp and trim
Tap the portafilter gently to settle the grounds, then tamp straight and level. Breville says to use firm, consistent pressure (roughly 10 to 15 kg) and that being consistent matters more than the exact force. Then use the included Razor tool to trim the extra coffee level with the rim, and wipe the rim clean so the basket seals properly in the group head.
4. Pull the shot and watch the first 10 seconds
Put your cup on the scale, set it to zero, lock in the portafilter, and start the timer as you press the shot button. Watch for the first drops. Breville's manual describes a good shot as one that starts to flow about 8 to 12 seconds after you press the button, as a slow, thick stream, a bit like warm honey. Stop the shot at about 36 g.
5. Read the result
| What you see | What it usually means | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee gushes out within about 6 to 7 seconds, the shot runs fast and tastes sour, thin or weak | Under-extracted | Grind finer. Check that you are not under-dosing |
| Nothing comes out until after about 12 seconds, it only drips, and it tastes bitter or burnt | Over-extracted | Grind coarser. Check that you are not over-dosing |
| Flow starts on time and it tastes balanced | You are close | Write down the grind setting and keep it |
Over-tamping, under-tamping and blocked basket holes can cause the same signs, so check those too before you keep changing the grind.
6. Change the grind one step, then repeat
Move your grinder one step (or two at most) in the direction the table shows, then pull the next shot with the same dose. One grinder step can change the shot time by several seconds, so small moves are enough. If you grind finer or coarser, run a little coffee through the grinder first to clear out what is left from the previous setting.
7. Taste and keep a note
Write down the dose, the yield, the time, the grind setting and how it tasted. After three or four shots you will see a pattern, and you will know which direction to move.
8. Save your shot volume
Once the shot tastes good, you can program the machine to stop at that volume. According to Breville's instructions, you hold the 1-cup and 2-cup buttons together until they flash, pull the shot, and press the button again when you reach the volume you want. The machine saves it. Check your manual for the exact steps on your model.
How to dial in espresso without wasting beans
- Judge the first 10 seconds. If coffee gushes out in the first few seconds, or nothing comes out for a long time, you do not need to finish the shot to know the grind is wrong. Stop, adjust, and try again.
- Change one thing at a time. If you change the grind, the dose and the tamp together, you cannot tell which one helped.
- Use a small, repeatable routine. Same dose, same tamp, same basket, every shot.
- Keep your notes. A written grind setting for each bag saves a lot of guessing the next time.
- Start with the dual-wall basket if you are new, because it is more forgiving.
Dialing in a new bag of beans
Each new bag behaves a little differently, because the roast level and the age of the beans change how the coffee extracts. Start with the setting you wrote down for your last bag, pull a shot, and adjust from there. You will usually need only a step or two. If a shot tastes sour or bitter and you are not sure why, see our guide to why espresso tastes sour, bitter or watery.
Bambino tips that help every shot
- Pre-infusion. The Bambino uses a short, low-pressure pre-infusion before it builds to full pressure. It wets the coffee gently and evenly. Your manual explains how to control the pre-infusion time by holding the shot button, but you do not need to change it while you are learning.
- Brew temperature. One guide says the brew temperature on these machines is fixed at about 93 °C (200 °F). Check your manual to see whether your model lets you change it. Either way, the grind is your main tool for fixing sour or bitter shots.
- Cleaning. After about 200 extractions, the 1-cup and 2-cup lights flash alternately to tell you that the group head needs a cleaning cycle with the included disc and a cleaning tablet. Skipping it lets old coffee oils build up, which can make shots taste bitter. Also rinse the portafilter and basket after each session.
- Descaling. Descale when the machine tells you to, using the descaling powder Breville recommends. Do not use vinegar: it can damage internal parts.
- Water. Use fresh water in the tank, and change the water filter on time if you use one.
Frequently asked questions
How do I dial in espresso on the Breville Bambino Plus?
Weigh 18 g of coffee into the portafilter, tamp and trim it level, and pull a shot of about 36 g in 25 to 30 seconds, with the first drops at about 8 to 12 seconds. If it is sour and fast, grind finer. If it is bitter and slow, grind coarser. Change one step at a time and write down each result.
What grind setting should I use on my grinder?
There is no single number, because every grinder numbers its settings differently. Start from the setting your grinder's manual suggests for espresso, then move one or two steps in the direction the shot tells you: finer if it runs too fast, coarser if it runs very slowly.
How much coffee do I use in the Bambino?
About 16 to 19 g for the 2-cup basket, and about 8 to 11 g for the 1-cup basket. Many people start with 18 g in the 2-cup basket.
How long should a shot take on the Bambino?
About 25 to 30 seconds in total, with the first drops about 8 to 12 seconds after you press the button.
Which basket is better for beginners, single-wall or dual-wall?
Dual-wall is more forgiving, so it is a good place to start. Single-wall gives you more control over the taste, and it works best with freshly ground beans.
Can I use pre-ground coffee in the Bambino?
Yes, with the dual-wall basket, which is made for pre-ground coffee and older beans. For the best results, grind fresh and move to the single-wall basket when you are ready.
Why is my Bambino espresso sour or bitter?
Usually the grind is too coarse (sour) or too fine (bitter), but the dose, the tamp, the age of the beans and a dirty group head can also play a part. Our guide to why espresso tastes sour, bitter or watery goes through each cause in order.
How often should I clean the Bambino?
Rinse the portafilter and basket after each session, and run the cleaning cycle when the lights flash, which Breville says happens after about 200 extractions.
Next steps
Once you have a recipe that works, repeat it every time and only change one thing when the taste is off. If you have not read it yet, our guide to pulling your first espresso shot covers the full routine, and our guide to espresso machines for beginners compares the Bambino Plus with other machines.
Sources: Breville, the Bambino Plus product page; Breville, the Bambino Plus Instruction Book (BES500); Breville, How to adjust shot volume (Bambino Plus tutorial); Seattle Coffee Gear, Breville Bambino Plus product guide; Complete Home Barista, Machine-Specific Dialing In; Clive Coffee, Espresso Pulling Too Fast?.
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